Traffic responsive device



Sept. 19, 1939. c. D. GEER ET AL 2,173,089

TRAFFIC RESPONSIVE DEVICE Original Filed April 8, 1930 Fig. 1,

, V INVENTbR:

Char/e: l7. finer and .Hm I...

'Ma-W-M ATTORNEYJ Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAFFIC RE SPONSIVE DEVICE cut Original application April 8, 1930, Serial No. 442,560, now Patent No. 2,077,924, dated April Divided and this application March 19, 1936, Serial No. 69,623

90laims.

This invention relates to a control having functionally and structurally improved characteristics.

This application is a division of application 8. N. 442,560 filed April 8, 1930, now Patent Numwhich is also a division of Patent Number 2,077,-

924, claims subject matter specific to Figure 2 of the present application.

, It is an object of the invention to construct a mechanism of this character which will be capable of advantageous use in numerous different associations but which has been primarily developed to provide a vehicle actuated control and when utilized in this connection being of major value when associated with a traiilc control system.

Another object of. the invention is that of providing a structure which will provide a sequence of impulses upon passage of a vehicle. a v A still further object is that of providing structures of this character'capable in certain respects of independent use but primarily adapted for cooperative functionlng and which structures will involve relatively few parts individually simple and rugged in construction and capable of ready assemblage and set up to furnish mechanisms operating over long periodsof time with freedom from electrical and mechanical dlfllculties.

With these and further objects in mind, reference is had to theattached sheet of drawings illustrating practical embodiments oi the invention, and in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle actuated control; 1 Fig. 2 is a similar view of the control in association withthe mechanism to be operated thereby; and

Fig. 3 shows'a slightly diflcrent layout of th system from that illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing there is shown a schematic embodiment of an impulse relay mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention and connected to a mechanism to be controlled. For the purpose ofillustrating a practical embodiment of the invention, a mechanism to be controlled is by the letter "S and may be for example a timer or an automatic trafllc counter constructed and arranged to count vehicles moving along a highway.

The road unit I conveniently includes a body located in the street so as to be actuated by a vehicle passing over the device and causing contacts to be made in a predetermined manner.

One novel feature of the invention is that these contacts may be connected to be efiective to control the circuits only when the vehicle moves over the unit in a certain direction. This road unit may for example be of the general construction shown in U. S. Patent #1,950,490 to Geer and Stirlen, except that one of the plates is divided into a plurality of parts for the special purpose of this invention.

In the illustrated embodiment of our invention this unit includes three separate contact numbers 2, 3 and I insulated from each other by spacer members 5. These contact members are preferably yieldable plates which may readily be ilexed into contact with each other as the vehicle passes over the device. The entire assemblage is located within a resilient moisture and waterproof envelope or casing indicated by the numeral 6. The contact plates 2, 3 and 4 are connected in circuit to a suitable source of electrical energy by means of lead wires I, 9 and 9 respectively.

Connected in circuit with the switch members are electro-magnets l0 and ii provided with armatures l2 and I3 respectively for opening and closing circuits as hereinafter described. Disposed adJacent the armature i2 are double contacts I 4 and IS, a single contact It being provided adjacent the armature I3. Magnet l0 and armature I! are connected in circuit with plate 2 by means oi. leads 8 and I1, and magnet II is connected in circuit with plate I and; armature l2 by means of leads 9 and 20 and contact M. The designated unit S to be controlled by the operation of the several switch members may, as shown in Fig. 2,

3 be connected in circuit therewith by means 0! lead wires it and I9.

Having thus described one embodiment of a relay mechanism constructed in accordance with our invention, the operation thereof is as lollows: Assuming that the switch mechanism l is located in a street pavement wherein it is desired to record the presence of vehicles passing only in the direction indicated by the arrow, the circuits for operating the counter or timer will be completed in the following manner. A passing vehicle wheel engages plate 2 and deflects it as indicated by the dotted line, Fig. 2. so a; to contact with plate 5 thereby energizing relay N and causing armature ii! to engage contact l5 and thus connect one terminal of thepower supply to unit 5 by lead wire It, When the vehicle proceeds further over the road unit, the gap is closed between plates 2 and 3 by the engagement of the latter with plate 4i, and the other terminal of the power supply also is connected to S via plate and leads 9 and it), thus causing S to operate and register the impulm created by the passing vehicle. As the vehicle continues along the unit, contact between plates and t is broken and magnet it is ole-energized, thereby causing armature it to interrupt the circuit l9, so that current is cut off from the unit S. The armature l2 now engages with contact id and establishes a circtdt over wire ill to energize magnet ll while a vehicle is continuing further over plate 3 alone, The energization of magnet l l causes its armature it to disengage from contact 56 to interrupt the circuit through magnet ill but this has no effect since the circuit has already been interrupted through the breaking of contacts 2 and 4 as the vehicle wheel left contact As the vehicle leaves contact 3 in the direction of the arrow the circuit via wire 9 from magnet it becomes interrupted cleenergizing this magnet and causing its armature ill to resume engagement with contact l6, Now the mechanism is again at its normal condition of rest. It will be observed that the contact plates 2 and together serveas, one switch or contact maker and the contacts it and G together serve as another switch. or contact maker,

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the impulse for operating the unit S is effected by the predetermined order in which contact is made between the plates 2, E and 3. To further illustrate the operation of the device: If a vehicle should approach in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow, plate 3 first makes contact with plate 3 and thereby energizes relay [7 l which causes armature it to interrupt the circuit ii to magnet ill, As the vehicle proceeds and causes plate 2 to also engage plate i, the circuit to magnet ill remains unchanged and thereby prevents relay Hi from becoming energized while plates 3 and t are in contact and thus the circuit it to the comiter cannot be completed so as to produce an operative impulse. As the vehicle proceeds further and the plates 3 and 4 separate,

- the relay it becomes deenergized, and as its armature l3 reengages contact 16 the relay ill is energized, and remains energized as long as plate 2 is in contact with plate l. However, at this time, the plates 3 and 4 being separated, the circuit over wire 9 through the unit S is open and remains open as the vehicle continues over plate 2 alone. After the vehicle has passed oil. the unit I, the circuit conditions return to normal without producing any effects on the mechanism From the above description, it will be noted that it is necessary that the relays l0 and H be successively energized in a predeterminedorder so as to permit an electrical impulse to operate the counter mechanism. Thus we have provided a. simple and efficient mechanism which shall accurately register vehicles passing over the device in only one direction.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the same layout has been illustrated as that shown in Fig 2 with the exception that the unit S is not connected directly into the operating Gillcuit. More particularly, it will be noted that to lead lit in Fig. 2.

the circuit breaker 22 controlling the flow of current through leads 23 is coupled in this view to be closed when the armature i3 is attracted. by the electro-magnet M. This may be achieved by having the circuit breaker 22 within the sphere of influence of the magnet l E or as has been indicated in dotted lines coupling the member 22 to the armature l3. Additionally, in this view it will be observed that the armature 63 in add?- tion to operating with contact 6 for the purpose of closing the circuit through electro-magnet id engages a contact it when attracted and this contact is connected. to the lead corresponding Obviously, same opera-- tion as that heretofore described will. follow'in connection with the construction presently con sidered, in other words, current will not flow through the leads 23 unless the control is actuated in a predetermined manner.

The value of the present construction will be apparent when it is considered that by means oi the same, a vehicle moving" over a highway in a direction contrary to that in which control is to be exercised will not effect operation of the present mechanism. In other words, a vehicle which for example is on the wrong side of the.

length extending transverse to the road and,

across the path of traffic as in the Gear and Stirlen Patent 1,950,490 referred to above.

it will also be appreciated that the contact plates 2 and ill or the insulating spacers ii or both must be resilient so as to permit the plates 2 and to contact with plate 3 under pressure of a wheel and to restore the plates to the normal separated condition. shown in Fig. 1 after passage of the wheel as described, and that if the plates 2 and 3 are resilient for example the spacers 5 may be relatively more rigid, whereas if the spacers 5 are sufliciently resilient the plates 2 and 3 may relatively rigid.

It will also be observed that the road unit may be mounted in the roadway by means of the receptacle 25.

It will be appreciated that numerous changes in construction and rearrangements of the parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

We claim:

1. A vehicle trafllc responsive device for clirecv I tion'ally detecting the ordinary passage oi vehicles in a roadway comprising in combination a substantially rigid receptacle adapted to be anchored in a road surface, a plurality of contact plates and a common contact plate within said receptacle, a resilient tread cover over said plates and fastened into said receptacle, a flexible insulating mounting supporting said plurality of plates in permanent lateral spaced relation with one another and in individually 'yieldable vertical spaced relation with said common plate whereby said plurality of plates will be brought into contact with said common plate in sequence by ordinary passage of a vehicle wheel thereover and in accordance with the direction of such passage along the roadway, said plurality of plates being so closely spaced that ordinary pressure oi a wheel traversing the resilient cover will bring all of said plurality of plates into contact with the common plate between contact only 01' the first of said plurality of plates with said commonplate and contact only of the last of said plurality and said commonplates.

2. A multi-contact street trafllc switch to be mounted in a road surface for sequential operation of its contacts by vehicles traversing it in the ordinary course of trafllc and having a plurality of narrow, laterally spaced contact plates, a relatively broad common contact plate, resilient insulating means normally maintaining said narrow plates in vertically spaced relation with said common plate and yieldable under ordinary pressure of a vehicle wheel traversing the switch to permit said narrow plates to engage sequentially with said common plate and upon passage of said wheel from the switch to cause said narrow plates to disengage again from the common plate, and a flexible protective envelope enclosing said plates, said narrow plates being arranged side by side and so closely spaced laterally that upon such passage of a wheel the contact between one of the narrow plates and the common plate is made before contact between the preceding adjacent one 01' the narrow plates and the common plate is broken. V 1

3. A multi-contact street traffic switch to be mounted in a roadway for sequential operation of its contacts by ordinary passage of a vehicle wheel thereover, including in combination a relatively broad base contact element, a pair of relatively narrow contact plates arranged side by side and over said base element, resilient insulating means under portions of said narrow plates to maintain them normally separated from said base element and adapted to permit said plates to be depressed individually and sequentially into contact with said base. element upon ordinary pressure on said plates by a wheel rolling thereover and to restore said plates to normal separation upon release of such pressure, and a flexible protective envelope enclosing said plates, said plates being so closely arranged that contact of the individual. plates with the base element overlaps in the middle 01' the sequential operation.

4. A multi-contact street traflic switch to be mounted in a roadway for sequential operation of its contacts by ordinary passage of a vehicle wheel thereover, including in combination a relatively broad base contact element, a. pair of relatively narrow contact plates arranged side by side and over said base element, resilient insulating means under portions of said narrow plates to maintain them normally' separated from said base element and adapted to permit said plates to be depressed individually and sequentially into contact with said base element upon ordinary pressure on said plates by a wheel rolling thereover and to restore said plates to normal separation upon release of such pressure, and a flexible protective envelope enclosing said plates, said resilient insulating means being located between mounted in a roadway for sequential operation of its contacts by ordinary passage of a vehicle wheel thereover, including in combination a relatively broad base contact element, a pair of relatively narrow contact plates arranged side by side and over said base element, resilient insulating means under portions of said narrow plates to maintain them normally separated from said base element and adapted to permit said plates to be depressed individually and sequentially into contact with said base element upon ordinary pressure on said plates by a wheel rolling thereover and to restore said plates to normal separation upon release of such pressure. and a flexible protective envelope enclosing said plates, said plates being so closely arranged that contact of the individual plates with the base element overlaps in the middle oithe sequential operation, and at least said narrow plates being of resilient material to aid in restoration of said plates to normal separation from said base element on release of pressure.

6. A trafllc responsive device .ior. directional operation by the ordinary passage of vehicles in a roadway comprising, in combination, a pair of contact plates, a third contact plate, a flexible insulating mounting for supporting said pair of plates in closely but permanently spaced lateral relation with each other and in yieldable vertical spaced relation with said third plate, means including a flexible upper surface covering for said plates for mounting same in a roadway for sequential operation oi. said pair of plates into contact with said third plate by pressure from ordinary passage of a vehicle wheel thereover and in accordance with the direction of such passage along the roadway and whereby both plates of said pair will be concurrently in contact with the third plate between contact solely ofthe first and third and contact solely oi. the second and third 01 said plates during such sequential operation.

7. A directional vehicle tramc responsive device comprising in combination a substantially rigid receptacle adapted to be anchored in a road surface, a pair of contact plates, a third common contact plate within said receptacle, aresilient protective tread cover mounted over said plates and fastened into said receptacle, a flexible insulating mounting supporting said pair of plates in permanent lateral spaced relation with one another and in yieldable vertical spaced relation with saidthird plate, said pair of plates being so closely spaced that .ordinary pressure oi! a vehicle wheel traversing said tread cover in one direction will cause sequential operation of the pair of plates into contact with the third plate in the order first, first and second, second and ordinary pressure of a vehicle wheel traversing said tread cover in the opposite direction will cause sequential operation of the pair of plates into contact with the third plate in the order second, second and first, flrst.

8. A trailic actuatable multiple switch device to be installed in a roadway for directionally sequential operation of its switches by the ordinary passage of vehicle wheels thereover in accordance with the direction of passage of the vehicle and comprising a plurality of switches arranged closely side by side, a flexible protective envelope enclosing said plurality of switches, resilient insulating supporting means along the side of said switches for normally maintaining said switches open but yieldable under ordinary pressure of a vehicle wheel rolling over said flexible envelope from side to side in either one direction to close said switches sequentially in accordance with such direction, said switches being arranged so closely adjacent that said switches are operated concurrently iietween individual operation oi said switches separately as a vehicle wheel rolls over said device.

9. A militia-contact street tramc switch to be mounted in o. roadway ior sequential operation of its contacts icy ordinary passage c1 9. vehicle wheel thereover, including in combination basecontact means, pair of relatively narrow con= tact plates arranged side by side and over saisi lease contact means, insulating means icetween the edges oi" narrow plates and time contact meons mointein soici contact mo es normally separated from said. base contact means, said contact plates being sumciently resilient to permit them to be flexed individually and sequentially into contact with said base contact means upon ordinary pressure on said plates by a wheel roiling thereover and to restore said plates to normal separation upon r lease of such pressure, and a flexible protective envelope enclosing said plates, said plates being so ciosely arranged that contact of the individuai with the base contact means overlaps in middle of the seouentioi operation.

0' *iLEiB ID. GEFR. 

